﻿About us

To keep pace with 21st century demands and the rapidly changing professional environment, we complement skills that are taught in academia today. Professions such as mobile web designer, app developer or social media expert did not exist some 10 years ago, and we can only speculate on the new diversity of jobs in the coming 10 years. How should education deal with this challenge in a constantly changing international environment?

The Changemakers Lab provides its students with real-life learning experience in which its learners build an attitude that we can all learn to do (almost) anything. The lab designs experience based learning programmes that create an appetite for insight and connect science and society. In each of our 14 learning programmes, we facilitate this experience by actively stimulating an investigative mindset, proactive attitude and resourceful thinking.

﻿Our goals

The objectives for 2017 consider our education programmes, improving on partnerships and building an alumni community.

Programmes. Currently, we enrol 250 students each year. Our portfolio consists of 4 skills electives, 3 minors and 2 Venture Academy's each year. Our goal for 2017 is to grow to 8 skills electives and solidify the quality of the Minors and Venture Academy.

Partnerships. Our aim is to connect to Change Maker network of scientists, (international) organisations in public and private sector, and NGO’s. Our goal for 2017 is to connect 5 parters from different sectors to our lab.

Community. Over the past years we have had the privilege to work with over 400 driven and talented individuals, a group so rich and diverse that we want to keep them close. Our goal for 2017 is to set up an Change Makers Alumni organisation.

Venture Academy speakers

﻿Centre for Innovation

​The Changemakers Lab is initiated and managed by the Centre for Innovation of Leiden University, located in The Hague and part of the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs. The Centre for Innovation is a growth platform of Leiden University. We explore technology from a people’s perspective by starting initiatives relevant to society and by developing learning experiences and innovation tools. We connect the faculty, students, our partners, the market and society at large. Actively merging different visions, methods and experiences we tackle challenges and come up with new solutions.